"This session is best known for introducing Lee Morgan's beautiful ballad "Ceora," but actually all five selections (which include Morgan's "Cornbread," "Our Man Higgins," "Most Like Lee," and the standard "Ill Wind") are quite memorable. The trumpeter/leader performs with a perfectly complementary group of open-minded and talented hard bop stylists (altoist Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley on tenor, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Larry Ridley, and drummer Billy Higgins) and creates a Blue Note classic that is heartily recommended." (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
"Less heralded than their collaboration with Thelonious Monk this August 1955 session with vibraphonist Milt Jackson was Davis' last all-star collaboration before the formation of his first classic quintet. Davis was entering a new era of leadership and international stardom. Quintet/Sextet is notable for two compositions by Jackie McLean: "Dr. Jackle" and "Minor March". The former is a Charlie Parker-ish line featuring a masterful Milt Jackson symposium on the blues, Davis' typically lyric approach, a tart, spacious flight from McLean, and a soulful, dancing Ray Bryant. The latter is a mysterious minor figure with jabbing rhythm breaks and a joyous bridge that recalls "Tempus Fugit. "Changes" inspires a lovely muted statement from Davis, and illustrates Bryant's unique blend of blues, sanctified gospel, and bebop. Davis and Jackson combine for pungent voicings on the head to "Bitty Ditty," and are completely unfazed by its intricacies." (Allmusic)
Achterop deze heruitgave door Original Jazz Classics van dit oorspronkelijk op het Prestige-label verschenen album staat dat de opnamen uit 1961 stammen, maar dat moet natuurlijk 1951 zijn. De hoestekst meldt het jaartal wél goed. Het betreft een legendarisch gebleken samenwerking van de trompettist en de tenorsaxofonist, waarin de kiem van de ontwikkeling van hardbop valt waar te nemen: zowel op melodie- als ritmegebied duidelijker en helderder dan de bebop waaruit het voortkwam. Ook met Jackie McLean (altsaxofoon) en Art Blakey (drums).
"It seems strange that the music on this CD was not released initially until 1980. Trumpeter Lee Morgan had had an unexpected hit with "The Sidewinder," so his more challenging recordings were temporarily put aside. As it turns out, this was one of Morgan's better sets from the 1960s and he had gathered together quite an all-star cast: altoist Jackie McLean, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Art Blakey. They perform "Rigormortis," McCoy Tyner's "Twilight Mist," and three of the trumpeter's originals, including the title cut. The advanced hard bop music still sounds fresh decades later despite its initial neglect." (Tom Yanow, Allmusic)
"This album Charles Mingus' breakthrough as a leader, the album where he established himself as a composer of boundless imagination and a fresh new voice that, despite his ambitiously modern concepts, was firmly grounded in jazz tradition. He began seeking new ways to increase the evocative power of the art form and challenge his musicians (who include altoist Jackie McLean and pianist Mal Waldron) to work outside of convention. The title cut is one of his greatest masterpieces: a four-movement tone poem depicting man's evolution from pride and accomplishment to hubris and slavery and finally to ultimate destruction. The piece is held together by a haunting, repeated theme and broken up by frenetic, sound-effect-filled interludes that grow darker as man's spirit sinks lower. It resembles paintings in sound -- full of sumptuous tone colors learned through Duke Ellington, but also rich in sonic details that only could have come from an adventurous modernist. Still one of his greatest." (Steve Huey, Allmusic)
Opnamen van een concert uit 1989 ter gelegenheid van de 70e verjaardag van Art Blakey. "Highlights include the opportunities to hear Shorter in this setting (he is well featured on "Lester Left Town") and versions of "Along Came Betty" and "Blues March" that contain short solos from many of the players. In addition, Michele Hendricks sings Horace Silver's words to "Mr. Blakey"; drummer Roy Haynes plays second drums on "Blues March"; and the CD concludes with a nearly-13 minute interview that Mike Hennessey conducted with Blakey in 1976 in which the drummer reminisces about the Jazz Messengers' early days. Well worth picking up." (Allmusic)
Jazz Podium De Tor-tip. "In 1956 Jackie McLean was only beginning to assert himself as a true individualist on the alto saxophone, exploring the lime-flavored microtones of his instrument that purists or the misinformed perceived as being off-key or out of tune. "4, 5 And 6" presents McLean's quartet on half the date, and tunes with an expanded quintet, and one sextet track -- thus the title. Mal Waldron, himself an unconventional pianist, is a wonderful complement for McLean's notions, with the impervious rhythm section Doug Watkins and Art Taylor. The quartet pieces range from totally bluesy, to hard bop ribald, to pensive and hopeful. Donald Byrd joins the fray on his easygoing bopper "Contour," where complex is made simple and enjoyable, while Hank Mobley puts his tenor sax to the test on the lone and lengthy sextet track, a rousing version of Charlie Parker's risk-laden "Confirmation." It's Waldron's haunting ballad "Abstraction," that somewhat illuminates the darker side." (Michael G. Nastos, Allmusic)
"Opgenomen in McLeans muzikale hoogtijdagen. De opener is een vierdelige suite van ruim 21 minuten van McLeans hand, waarin hij de levenscyclus van geboorte, adolescentie, volwassenheid en dood op muzikale wijze beschrijft. Het begint met een vrolijke schreeuw en dan wisselen Ornette Coleman en McLean elkaar af in bruisende soli, terwijl Lamont Johnson zijn klauwen in het klavier zet, alsof hij een prooi in handen heeft. De ritmesectie (Billy Higgins (d) en Scotty Holt (b) voorkomt dat de blazers ook maar even bij de pakken neerzitten. Volgt een zwaarmoediger deel waarin de melodieën afgewogener en zoekender klinken en de akkoorden meer gefragmenteerd. In deel 3 variëren de mannen in alle toonaarden, zenuwachtig, dan weer vrij op een eenvoudig thema. De noten vliegen je om de oren. In het slot is het alsof McLean zijn laatste adem uitblaast, Coleman hijgt en puft erom heen. Vrolijk word je van het titelstuk van Coleman. Alsof men in een gospelkerk aan het experimenteren is geslagen." (M. den Breejen, Parool)
Waldron (1926-2002) was de laatste begeleider van Billie Holiday (1915-1959), 'Left Alone' is een stuk dat ze samen schreven. In 1959 (niet 1957, zoals de hoes vermeldt) nam de pianist dit gevoelige herdenkingsalbum op. In 't titelnummer horen we weemoedige melodieën uit de altsax van de in 2006 overleden Jacky McLean (niet op de hoes vermeld!) naast Mals bedachtzame pianospel, begeleid door Julian Euell (b) en Al Dreares (d). Later zou Waldron, met McLean en Archie Shepp, nóg 2 'Left Alone'-albums opnemen.
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